Well, hello, !
Instead of my usual newsletter, today I want to share a video from the LinkedIn Live I did this morning with Erin Austin, my friend, colleague, and favorite IP attorney.
In this dynamic discussion, we each offered our perspectives on the legal and ethical considerations shaping our decisions on how we use and disclose our use of AI tools in our work. If you wish to watch the video, click on the image:
The conversation around AI disclosure isn't just about compliance. It's about maintaining professional integrity and using AI as a tool rather than a crutch. Below is a summary of the key takeaways from the conversation:
The False Binary
If we admit to using AI, we risk being seen as lazy or untrustworthy. If we avoid using it, or choose not to admit to using it, we risk being seen as stodgy and behind the times. (See, for example, this article by Korn Ferry.) That tension presents a false binary, and the pressure to produce more, faster, pushes otherwise intelligent people to outsource their thinking to AI. According to the June 2025 Harper's Index:
- 38% of executives are comfortable letting AI make decisions on their behalf.
- 44% of executives would defer to AI's reasoning over their own.
- 74% of executives using AI say they trust it's business advice over that of their colleagues.
The Hidden Costs
The costs of using AI go far beyond the cost of a subscription:
- According to the MIT Media Lab, heavy AI use can increase loneliness and reduce real-life social connections.
- According to Jocelyn Skillman, LMHC, a clinical therapist and relational design ethicist, AI interactions adversely impact our psychological wellbeing, impeding personal growth and deepening our sense of isolation.
- According to an article published by The Guardian last month, the chatbot Grok began injecting white nationalist conspiracy theories into everyday queries, highlighting the lack of transparency in the design of these tools.
- According to MIT News, a ChatGPT query uses five times more electricity than a web search. By 2026, data centers will rank fifth globally, between Japan and Russia, in consumption of electricity.
The Ongoing Commitment
Your professional obligations haven't changed. Here are three key considerations when using AI for client work: If you indicate that your deliverables will be original, they must be original, regardless of whether you use AI. Other key considerations when using AI for client work:
- Be cautious about using AI tools with client data, especially when systems use that data to improve their products.
- If you indicate that your deliverables will be original, they must be original, regardless of whether you use AI.
- You are responsible for the content you deliver, regardless of whether you use AI to assist in the development of that content.
By approaching AI use with intention, transparency, and accountability, we can harness its benefits while maintaining the trust and expertise that makes us valuable to clients.
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AI Disclosure Statement
I used Descript to edit the video, improve the sound quality, and develop a transcript. I then used Claude to identify the key points of the video, some of which I revised and shared in this newsletter.
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That's it for today!
I'd love to hear your thoughts about using and disclosing your use of AI. Feel free to reply to this email or share your thoughts on LinkedIn.
If you'd like to explore working together, please book a call. I'd love to learn more about your business and how I might be of service.
Take good care,
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